


Noctis the Ailurophile

by treya_barton



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-04-23 15:38:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14335650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treya_barton/pseuds/treya_barton
Summary: I picked the prompt: 5 times Noctis kept a cat for only a few days and the 1 time he got to keep one. Preferably that plus 1 part is in "everybody lives" AU where Noctis happy with his cat and his bros.





	Noctis the Ailurophile

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mikkal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikkal/gifts).



Noctis was wandering around in the garden again, looking for the cat that Iris had been chasing when she recently came to visit with Gladiolus.  Although said incident had ended up getting Noctis into trouble when he took the blame for the young girl, it had also led to him bonding with his shield, something he thought would never happen.  The older boy had always seemed to have had a grudge against the prince, and upon realizing that Gladiolus thought Noctis just wasn’t as good as his father was, he had stubbornly acted out, especially during training.  That of course did nothing to change Gladiolus’s view of Noctis and only seemed to cement his feeling that he was a spoiled brat.  Noctis was pretty sure that things would have continued to go that way if his shield hadn’t changed his mind after finding out Noctis had stood in for Iris and taken the blame for her.  For some reason, his actions had left Gladiolus impressed and caused the older boy to finally see some potential in his prince.

This is what had led to said prince sneaking into the garden and crawling through the shrubbery and flowers to see if he could find that cat again.  The cat was a stray and would often sneak into the Citadel looking for things to eat or handouts from the staff, and Noctis was bound and determined to find it and try to adopt it.  His father was pretty adamant about him not having pets, wisely pointing out that as the heir to the throne he just didn’t have the time to invest in an animal, but Noctis figured with the cat already being a stray he may have a better chance.  And thought maybe next time Iris visited she’d be happy to see the cat was alright. 

He finally spotted the cat which was white on the chest, legs, and the tip of its tail but black along the back and top of the head, and he carefully crawled forward toward her.  He stopped when he got close by and beckoned his hand forward to see if the cat would feel comfortable enough to come forward and let him pet her.  To his pleasant surprise, she watched him carefully with her wary green eyes before stepping forward and sniffing at his hand.  She then rubbed her head against his hand and allowed him to carefully pet her.  He brought out some cat treats from his pocket that he had begged Ignis to bring him the other day and fed them to her as well, delighted when she quickly ate them before crawling onto his lap so he could pet her some more. He decided to try to put his plan into action and picked her up, happy when she seemed content to sit in his arms instead of trying to get away.  He then carefully snuck her back into his room, closing the door before setting down the cat and trying to find something to use to play with for her.

It was around this time that Ignis popped in to check on him since his classes were over with for the day.  Upon hearing the door open, Noctis froze and quickly tried to spot the cat which was perched on his bed and taking a nap.  He reached for her to see if he could cover her in some way, but Ignis was already in the room and had spotted the cat before he got a chance.  “May I ask why you have a feline in your room, Noct?” Ignis asked, pushing his glasses more firmly onto his face.  Although Ignis was only a few years older than Noctis, he acted pretty much like an adult and the young prince felt like he was about to get scolded.

“It’s the cat Iris was chasing,” Noctis replied, his voice quiet.  “I just wanted to check on her and make sure she was ok…”

“Which also involved sneaking her into your room,” Ignis commented blandly as he shut the door.  “Is this why you wanted me to buy cat treats the other day?”

Noctis nodded his head.  “I thought maybe, since she’s a stray, I can help take care of her?  She won’t need as much attention as other pets so maybe dad…”  Noctis trailed off and looked down, clenching his fists.  Ignis was a stickler for the rules, so he knew it was probably pointless to argue his case.

Ignis let out a sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose.  “How about this, Noct,” he reasoned.  “We take care of the cat for a few days until I can find it a good home.  It will be our secret.”

Noctis’s head shot up, and his midnight blue eyes met Ignis’s warm green ones in surprise.  “Really?” Noctis asked, and Ignis nodded his head with a slight smile.

The prince threw his arms around his retainer and friend gratefully, before going to pet the cat some more.  “You hear that?  We’re going to find you a home,” Noctis said, a rare smile gracing his face.

Ignis left to get some items for the cat’s temporary stay, including a bowl for water and food and a litter box.  He also messaged Gladiolus asking him if he’d like to bring Iris over to let her play with the cat before they found it a home.  Gladiolus seemed amused that Noctis had snuck the cat into his room, but he agreed to bring Iris over knowing she would be delighted to see it as well.  By the time Ignis returned with some necessities for the cat, Iris and Gladiolus had already arrived, and Ignis caught Gladiolus watching fondly as Iris and Noctis played with the cat in his living room area that was attached to his bedroom.  “I didn’t know you were a softy at heart,” Gladiolus teased as Ignis set down the bags on the floor and pulled out a string toy for the kids to use to play with the cat.

“Hush now,” Ignis replied before handing the toy to Noctis who immediately showed Iris how to use it.  She watched in awe and quickly asked to give it a try herself upon seeing how happily the cat chased the string around, and Noctis quickly complied before handing it over to her.  “We all already knew you were a big softy, however,” he added, and Gladiolus grinned before helping Ignis sort through the bags in order to get them set up.

Noctis and Ignis managed to hide the cat for a whole week before finally finding it a home with one of Noctis’s classmates at school.  The family wasn’t aware that the cat was directly Noctis’s, but thought they were acquiring a cat from the Citadel that they couldn’t take care of anymore.  Noctis was happy to see it go to a good home, but he was also definitely sad to see it go and moped around all day after Ignis left to take it to its new family.  Ignis had a personal driver until he was old enough to drive himself so he could take care of errands for the prince.  Noctis decided that when he was older, he would definitely get a cat of his own, no matter what his father thought.

A few years passed, and soon Noctis had moved on from elementary school to middle school.  He was aloof and mainly held himself apart from the other students, mainly because they only saw him as a prince and didn’t try to approach him due to his status.  If they did approach him, it was only an attempt to receive favor or popularity, so the young prince had perfected a politely indifferent façade to avoid such situations. 

There was one student that had been a classmate of Noctis’s since elementary school that always seemed like he wanted to talk to Noctis, but other than a brief encounter when they were younger where Noctis helped him up after he had tripped, he had shied away.  The boy’s name was Prompto, and Noctis remembered him as a shy, heavy-set boy who also kept to himself and didn’t interact much with the other students.  He seemed to have lost a little weight and was friendlier now that they were in middle school, but he still held back from interacting with the prince, even though Noctis had noticed the blond boy’s attention occasionally.

Noctis preferred to remain passive and didn’t want to force anything on his shy classmate, so had pretended not to notice when Prompto looked in his direction or seemed like he was trying to find the courage to talk to him.  He was hesitant to approach Prompto since he wasn’t sure how to interact with people outside of the Citadel, and Noctis was shy himself due to his own lack of friends or social interactions with kids his own age.  He mainly associated with Ignis or Gladiolus who were both a little older than him and acted like adults due to their roles as his chamberlain and shield.

Noctis instead spent his free time right after class associating with another stray cat that hung around the school while he waited for Ignis to wrap up at the high school and come to pick him up with the driver.  They weren’t worried about Noctis’s safety since there were Crownsguard stationed at the school keeping an eye on him at all times.  The cat was an orange tabby that liked to sunbathe in the courtyard and would steal bits of the student’s lunches when they would eat outside.  Noctis had taken to bringing the cat treats while he waited, and the cat would occasionally allow him to pet him or would lie next to Noctis to keep him company.

What Noctis didn’t realize is often Prompto would be late coming out from class since he would change after the bell rang into his athletic clothes so he could go jogging on his way home and would spot Noctis playing with the cat.  Prompto was following a strict regimented diet and was jogging every morning and afternoon in order to lose the weight he had gained as a kid due to absent parents and a diet of fast food with the money they always left him.  He would stop to watch Noctis play with the cat before heading out on his jog, occasionally snapping a picture with his coveted camera that his parents gave him for his birthday one year. 

Prompto was an adopted child whose parents were busy and often not home, so he had been lonely growing up, and due to his shyness and weight had avoided interacting with the other kids at school.  Perhaps because of that, he recognized the same loneliness in Noctis and had tried to approach the other boy to become friends with him when they had been in elementary school.  He had clumsily tripped in the process, and when Noctis had helped him stand up, he had obvious trouble and had muttered, “Heavy,” under his breath which had hurt Prompto’s feelings and caused him to decide to improve himself before attempting to become friends with Noctis again.

Thus, Prompto immediately noticed one day when he exited the main doors of the school and didn’t see the dark-haired prince and the orange tabby in their normal spot by the school gate.  Instead, Noctis was franticly wandering the courtyard, checking around trees and under bushes for his feline friend.  Prompto watched silently, eyes darting around to see if he could spot the cat anywhere and disappointed when it remained out of sight.  Not long afterward, Ignis showed up to whisk Noctis away for one of his many after school duties, and Noctis dejectedly joined him in the car before being carted off. 

Prompto did a quick search himself in the courtyard before abandoning his normal jog home to run around the neighborhood surrounding the school, trying to see if he could spot the orange tabby anywhere to make sure it was ok.  He kept thinking about the upset expression on the normally stoic prince’s face and hoped that he could find the cat in order to cheer the boy up.  To his dismay, after two hours of searching the cat was nowhere to be seen, and he knew he had to give up and head home before it got too late.  He still needed to make himself something to eat and study.  Prompto gloomily walked home, exhausted after rushing about for two hours, and he returned home to a quiet, empty house like usual.  For the next several days, both he and Noctis separately looked for the cat, but they were never able to see any sign of the orange tabby again.  Noctis would now desolately wait slumped at the gate for Ignis to pick him up, which pained Prompto every time he would rush by him on his jog home.

More time passes, and soon Noctis and Prompto are in high school.  On their first day of class, a much thinner and more confident Prompto finally approached Noctis, slapping him on the back and treating him like they were old friends.  He pretended it was the first time they had met, but Noctis had pointed out that they had definitely met before and that he remembered him from their younger days.  He then playfully shoved the shy boy who didn’t know how to reply to his statement, and they had become fast friends after that.  Prompto was the only person who treated Noctis as himself and not as the Prince of Lucis, and Noctis was forever grateful that he had finally found the courage to approach him.

Prompto had also become his partner in crime, so Noctis was not in the least bit surprised when on a rainy day after school when walking to Noctis’s apartment, Prompto was fully onboard when they stumbled upon a cute black kitten that had been abandoned in a box and Noctis suggested they take it back to the apartment.  Nevermind that there was a strict no pet policy in the high-end apartment complex and that even though Noctis was the crown prince he could still get kicked out if he was found harboring a pet.  Noctis carefully picked up the kitten and shielded it in his school blazer to protect it from the rain and warm it up, while Prompto dashed into the closest convenience store to grab some wet food for the cat.

They then hurried back to Noctis’s apartment, cautiously opening the door and hoping to avoid Ignis who would often stop by to check on Noctis and make dinner.  Ignis was in his junior year while Gladiolus was a senior, but both of them had their own duties to attend to after class so sometimes it would be later in the evening before the boys would run into either of them.  Noctis usually did his training with Gladiolus before school, while after school he would occasionally have to attend events or extra courses for his future as king with Ignis, but today he had a clear schedule and was relieved to see that Ignis hadn’t arrived yet. 

The kitten mewed quietly in his jacket, and Noctis carefully let him down to explore before heading into his room to grab towels and spare clothes for both him and Prompto since they were both now soaked.  Prompto, meanwhile, headed into the kitchen to grab two bowls – one for some water and the other to hold the can of cat food.  He also searched around until finding a can opener to use, glad that Ignis kept the kitchen clean and tidy unlike the rest of Noctis’s messy apartment.  Ignis would often clean up the apartment as well, but it had been several days and Noctis had trashed it yet again with his stuff scattered everywhere across the dining room and living room.

Upon smelling the food, the kitten scampered into the kitchen and gratefully began to lap up the wet food and water once Prompto set both bowls down.  Noctis headed into the kitchen to toss a towel and some clothes at Prompto who gratefully caught them before disappearing into the bathroom to change and towel dry his hair.  Noctis had already changed and smiled quietly to himself as he watched the kitten inhale the food Prompto had left out for him.  Once the kitten had finished eating, Noctis used the towel to dry the kitten further as well, before moving into the living room and pushing some of the junk he had sitting on the couch onto the floor so he could sit with the kitten purring in his lap.  Prompto joined him soon afterward, sprawling on the couch next to him so he could also pet the kitten.  “Do you want to give him a name?” Prompto asked thoughtfully.

“Like what?” Noctis asked as he carefully scratched the kitten behind its ears.

“I dunno – it looks kind of like you,” Prompto joked.  He had a point since the kitten was all black with blue eyes.  “We can call him Little Noct.”

“I don’t think so,” Noctis replied with an eye roll.  “Maybe something like Blackie or Midnight.”

“Laaaame,” Prompto replied.  Their conversation was interrupted by a key in the door, and Noctis frantically turned to look at Prompto who quickly pulled a blanket off the back of the couch that Noctis liked to use for naps before tossing it on his lap.

Ignis stepped into the door, a bag of ingredients in his hand from the grocery store.  “Ah, I see Prompto will be joining us for dinner today,” he greeted, before heading into the kitchen to set down the bag.  “It is a good thing I decided upon green curry today,” he mused to himself, noting the excited grin that spread across the cheerful blond’s face.  He paused, however, upon spotting a can of cat food on the table and the bowls on the floor, one of which was filled with water.  He then turned to look suspiciously at the two boys on the couch, and he noted that there was definitely something under the blanket that was trying to wiggle its way out.

Ignis let out a deep sigh.  “What on Eos do you have under that blanket, Noct?” he asked, folding his arms across his chest and giving the younger boy a stern look.

Noctis sheepishly pulled the blanket away to reveal the kitten.  “Listen, Specs,” he started to say guiltily, but Prompto interrupted him.

“We couldn’t just leave the poor thing out there Iggy!” he cried out.  “It was cold and left out in the rain – it would be heartless to just leave it alone.”  Prompto gave Ignis his best puppy dog face, imploring him with indigo blue eyes, and Noctis quickly joined him with his own pouting expression, midnight blue eyes staring at him hopefully.

Ignis clenched his jaw and powered through the twin begging looks.  “As much as I wish to help, I must remind you that there is a strict no pet policy here.  If you wish to maintain your freedom, then you must give up the kitten.”

Noctis crossed his arms and sulked, while Prompto thoughtfully played with the kitten which had stepped down onto the couch from Noctis’s lap and seemed interested in pouncing on his hand.  “I’d take in Little Noct if I could,” Prompto started, and Noctis shot him a slight glare at the use of the name, “but my mom’s allergic and while they’re not home often, they wouldn’t be happy to come home to a cat at the house.”  Noctis was silent at his friend’s admission, for he didn’t like it once he had learned about his family situation and often invited Prompto over so his friend wouldn’t be home alone.  “Do you think maybe Gladio and Iris can take it in?” Prompto asked hopefully.

“I can certainly find out,” Ignis replied.  He hated to see Noctis so dejected, even if he had to be the voice of reason.  “Iris is certainly old enough to take care of a pet and would be delighted to have a kitten, I am sure.  Until then, I will take it home with me tonight since my Uncle will not mind until we find it a home.”

Noctis nodded, a little upset but glad that at least they would make sure the kitten was taken care of.  Prompto noticed his friend’s mood, and while Ignis worked on dinner, did his best to cheer him up.  “If Iris takes in the kitten, then you’ll be able to see it, right?” Prompto asked.  “And even if she can’t, you know Ignis will make sure its taken care of.  It’s better than being in a box out on the street!”

Noctis sighed, but he couldn’t argue with his friend’s logic.  “I’ve just…always wanted a cat,” he admitted.  Prompto was reminded of the orange tabby, and he frowned slightly before plastering a smile on his face.

“Hey, one day you’ll be king and no one will be able to stop you from having a cat,” he pointed out.  “And I’ll have a dog and they’ll be best friends just like us!”

Noctis couldn’t help but grin at Prompto’s enthusiasm but tried to hide it.  “Only a nerd like you would say something like that,” he replied, and Prompto punched him in the shoulder in response. 

“Fine then, maybe my future puppy will find a better friend who isn’t so mean,” Prompto said in mock annoyance, and Noctis grinned before bumping shoulders with Prompto.

“Your puppy couldn’t find a better friend than my kitten, and you know it,” Noctis said confidently, and Prompto rolled his eyes.

“Maybe you’re right about that,” he laughed, before pulling the kitten into his lap to pet it some more.  Sure enough, after dinner that night Ignis took the kitten home with him, and he was able to find it a home a few days later.  Noctis was sad to see him go, but happy that at least he had a caring home.

Years later, after Noctis had graduated high school and was on his road trip with his friends after the fall of Lucis, he encountered yet another cat during his travels to find the Royal Arms of his family to add to his armiger.  He first noticed the cat at Galdin Quay sitting out on the pier that led to the main resort that sat out over the water.  She was a little Siamese that mewled at him pitifully and obviously looked hungry.  Noctis took one look at the cat, before turning around and heading to a nearby fishing spot in order to obtain some food since there wasn’t any cat food at the resort.  Prompto had joined him good naturedly, and while Noctis had received a head shake from Ignis and an eye roll from Gladiolus, they had both followed along without complaint as well.  They knew how soft-hearted their king was and didn’t have it in them to deny him this small act of kindness.

It didn’t take long for Noctis to reel in a fish, and he quickly rushed back to the pier in order to feed the hungry cat who gratefully began to eat it.  Noctis would feed the cat throughout their stay at Galdin Quay as they completed hunting quests in order to raise money for the next leg of their trip.  He was forlorn when they finally had to leave, knowing that it would be impossible to bring the cat along with them on their dangerous journey.  There was no way the cat would be comfortable jammed into the Regalia with the four men for hours at a time, and they were often in dangerous encounters with MTs, daemons, and beasts from their hunts.  The cat would be much safer at Galdin Quay.  Noctis gave the cat one final pet before they headed out.

Noctis was pleasantly surprised when weeks later, he encountered the cat again, this time at Cape Caem.  He had no idea how the cat managed to travel so far, but he was sure it was the same Siamese he had seen back at Galdin Quay.  The cat seemed to recognize him as well, and immediately came up to him and began rubbing her face against his legs as a show of greeting.  During their stay at Cape Caem, Noctis busied himself with fishing and playing with the cat when he wanted to avoid thinking about what trials awaited them in Altissia, which would be the next step in their journey. 

The others allowed him his time to escape as they made plans and gathered the materials they would need for the journey, knowing that their young king had a lot on his mind.  He would be seeing Lunafreya finally, the initial reason they had for making the road trip to begin with, and he was supposed to try to make a pact with the Astral Leviathan which was known for her fickle nature.  He hadn’t seen his childhood friend who was also technically his fiancée in years and had been worried about how she was making out with her Oracle duties and setting up the pacts with the Astrals for him.  He also wasn’t sure what to expect when he finally saw her after so many years, or what was expected of them now when they met.  It wasn’t like a wedding would accomplish anything at this point after Niflheim had invaded Lucis, and they honestly had even bigger things to worry about, like getting the Lucian Crystal back.  Noctis absentmindedly petted the cat as he tried to sort through his thoughts and feelings over everything that had happened in the past few weeks and all that he had lost.

Unfortunately, they did not have long to stay at Cape Caem, and they were soon ready to depart once they had gained the material that Cid needed to get Regis’s yacht ready for a trip to Altissia.  Cid would take them there and Noctis would depart with Prompto, Gladiolus, and Ignis at his side, leaving his other friends behind.  Monica and Cor were needed to continue with efforts in Lucis, and Iris and Talcott were too young to partake in the dangerous journey.  Noctis would also have to leave his feline companion behind yet again, not wanting to bring her on the boat and to Altissia since he wasn’t sure how things would go with Leviathan.  He was reluctant to leave his friends and the cat behind, and when they finally pulled away from the dock continued to stare at the direction they had left long after they had pulled away and he could no longer see his friends.

Roughly ten years later, after Noctis had emerged from his time in the crystal to see the dark, hellish landscape Eos had become in his absence, he encountered yet another cat upon his return to Hammerhead.  He had stepped away after an emotional reunion with Prompto, Ignis, and Gladiolus, shocked at seeing them ten years older and how tired and worn out they looked after a decade in darkness fighting daemons and struggling to survive.  He needed time to adjust to everything he had learned before facing them again and explaining his destiny.  He had a feeling they already knew somehow, based on the reserved joy they had upon seeing him, but he still felt the need to explain everything to them properly before he left on his final journey to defeat Ardyn.

Thus, he was shocked to see a cat perched on the pile of car parts sitting behind the garage that Cindy had taken over after Cid retired to Lestallum to help modify weapons for the hunters there; Cid felt more needed in the large city since it had one of the largest refugee populations due to the powerplant located there. Now that there was nothing but night, the anti-daemon lights were the only thing keeping people from becoming completely overrun by the daemons, so it was important they kept the powerplant safe.

The cat regarded him curiously, flicking her tail as Noctis stared back.  He was surprised any pets had been able to survive these ten tough years, but he figured as long as people were willing to feed and protect them they had managed to make it somehow.  The cat had calico fur and yellow eyes, which she lazily closed as Noctis continued to stare.  He cautiously reached out a hand to pet the cat, suddenly wondering about the Siamese he had left back at Cape Caem and whether or not it had managed to survive long into the endless night after he had disappeared into the Crystal.  He had similar thoughts about the animals left behind in Insomnia after it had fallen, but he had tried his best not to consider their fates in light of the devastation in the city and upon his people. 

While he pet the cat, he soon noticed the presence of his three friends, the people left in Eos that he cared about the most.  Prompto was leaning against the wall next to him, Ignis had carefully made his way over behind him, finally comfortable with his blindness, and Gladiolus was standing on the other side of the pile of parts, regarding him quietly.  Noctis hesitated, unsure how to strike up a conversation after so many years.  It broke his heart to see the clear signs of suffering his friends had gone through in his absence, and he knew that they were only in for more once he completed his purpose as the King of Light.

Gladiolus was the first to finally break the silence.  “You’ve really got a thing for cats, don’t you,” he mused, reaching over to give the cat a quick scratch behind the ears.  Gladiolus had filled out even more since Noctis had last seen him, standing on the platform and watching in horror as his king got sucked into the crystal.  His hair was longer now and his facial hair had grown a bit thicker, but it was still well trimmed.  “I remember when you tried to take in that darn cat that Iris chased around when we were kids, even though you got punished because if it,” he chuckled.

“Ah yes, and that was not the only incident where you tried to sneak a cat into your home,” Ignis added, a wistful smile on his scarred face.  He was still cleanshaven, but his hair had grown longer since his youth and looked darker now with no sunlight to naturally bleach it.  He still kept it combed back, but his bangs were now too long to stick up like they used to.  “Only the second time you had this one for an accomplice.”

He motioned over in the general direction of Prompto, who laughed nervously.  Prompto had changed the most out of his friends, gaining more muscle and filling out more in his face.  He also sported a goatee that Noctis thought looked ridiculous, but it was the tired look in his eyes that bothered him the most.  His face had lost some of that cheerful energy that had been so distinctly Prompto, and Noctis desperately wished he could bring it back along with Ignis’s sight and Gladiolus’s warmth.  “Yeah, Noct definitely has a thing for strays,” he agreed.  “Back in middle school he took care of this orange tabby for like half a year.  It went missing one day and I looked for it for hours afterward but have no idea what happened to it.”

“You did?” Noctis asked in surprise.  This had been before their friendship.

“Yeah,” Prompto said bashfully.  “You looked so sad when it went missing, so I hoped if I could find it you’d cheer up.”  He nervously ran a hand through his hair, and Noctis smiled sadly.  The move was so inherently Prompto that he suddenly felt nostalgic.

“You can’t forget that Siamese cat that followed us to Cape Caem,” Gladiolus added.  “Iris brought that thing with her to Lestallum once everything started going to shit.  It finally passed away a year ago due to old age.”  Noctis looked relieved, glad that it had at least met a happier end than via a daemon attack.  He had also aged, his hair longer and now parted to frame either side of his face, with some light facial hair of his own.  He had filled out and looked a lot more like Regis – like a king.  Prompto and Gladiolus had immediately noticed upon Noctis stepping out of the truck driven by a much older Talcott, and they had quietly described the changes to Ignis when Noctis had stepped away to regroup.

“I have something to discuss with you before we head to Insomnia to face Ardyn,” Noctis said, his voice quiet but resolute.  “I’d like us to camp at a haven before we go, if it’s alright with you.”

The other three nodded their consent, hardened expressions on their faces.  Noctis knew then that they definitely were aware about what he would be discussing with them, and he felt a pain in his chest.  He then looked back down at the cat and said softly, “All I ever wanted was a cat of my own and to be surrounded by my friends and family.”  Tears welled up in his eyes, but he was surprised to hear a stifled sob next to him, and he saw Ignis reach over to Prompto who began to quietly sob into the man’s shoulder.  Ignis’s eyes also looked wet, although he had them hidden behind special protective glasses he had for his eyes after they were badly damaged by the Ring of Lucii.  Gladiolus clenched his jaw, before reaching out to place a hand on Noctis’s shoulder and giving it a supportive squeeze.

“I believe that’s all any of us wanted for you,” Ignis finally replied, his voice strained with sorrow.  They all then moved forward to squeeze Noctis into a hug, letting him know how much they had missed his presence in those ten years.

A few days later, Noctis finally faced Ardyn, sacrificing his life in order to defeat the Accursed and bring light back to Eos.  On the first dawn in almost ten years, his friends mournfully climbed the steps of the Citadel, knowing that inside they were to find the body of their king.  While most of Eos rejoiced at finally being freed from eternal night and the threat of the daemons, they and the others that knew what had been given in return couldn’t help but find the victory bittersweet.  When they finally arrived at the throne room and spotted Noctis’s slumped body on the throne, they rushed over, hesitating upon seeing his pale form.  Ignis still had to be certain and carefully reached down, feeling around until he caught Noctis’s wrist and could feel for a pulse.  After a few moments, he let out a surprised cry and quickly reached out for Gladiolus or Prompto.  “Noct is still alive,” he said, grabbing Gladiolus’s sleeve with tears of joy in his eyes.

“What do you mean, alive?” Gladiolus asked incredulously, while Prompto carefully pushed Ignis aside and also felt for a pulse.  His breath caught before noticing that Noctis indeed appeared to be shallowly breathing.

“Noct?” Prompto asked, reaching forward and shaking him lightly.  “Noctis?!”

Suddenly, the king’s eyes snapped open, before regarding his three friends with a bewildered look.  He began coughing and slumped forward even more, with Prompto there to catch him and help him sit back up.  “Guys?  What’s going on?” Noctis asked.  He had clearly been stabbed by the kings of old up to his own father in order to sacrifice his life in order to defeat Ardyn; there was no way he should be alive.

“I dunno, Noct,” Gladiolus replied.  He sounded amazed.  “Some kind of miracle.”

Prompto was crying on Noctis’s shoulder, overwhelmed that his best friend was somehow alive, and Noctis noticed that Ignis and Gladiolus both had tears in their eyes as well.  Ignis turned his head, and Gladiolus put an arm around the other man in a soothing way.  “Does this mean, I get my wish?” Noctis asked, his voice trembling.

“I do not see why not,” Ignis replied, a slight smile in his voice.  “You are king now so I believe you can do whatever you wish.”

Noctis’s wish wasn’t fully fulfilled, for they had still lost and sacrificed a lot in order to get where they were.  He would never get his father or Lunafreya back, who had died shortly after they finally reunited in Altissia.  They would also never get those ten years where they struggled and were apart back either.  But, Noctis figured this would be a good start, and he would put his added time on Eos to good use.  “I’m going to adopt that cat from Hammerhead,” he decided, and his friends all laughed before Gladiolus and Ignis joined Prompto in a group hug for Noctis.

A year later, the four friends had taken a break from helping with rebuilding efforts in Lucis.  The people had decided to keep Noctis as their king, so he and a joint council that consisted of leaders from all parts of Eos had been working together to share resources in order to start rebuilding infrastructure and get the dilapidated planet back into a livable state.  Luckily, some people had been forward thinking enough to try to protect some of the species in Eos such as the chocobos and other forms of wildlife, and now that there was no longer a daemonic threat they were slowly being reintroduced into the landscape as plant-life began to return now that there was sunlight again.  Noctis focused on rebuilding Insomnia with Gladiolus by his side as his shield, while Ignis focused on Lestallum after spending so much time there during the ten years of darkness.  Prompto travelled around helping where he could, although he never allowed himself to be far from Noctis for too long of a period of time.  Noctis made good on his promise to Prompto to bring together the people of Eos as well, and established good relations with those surviving from Accordo, Tenebrea, and even Niflheim, along with all the other smaller nations that had been overrun in their decades long struggles.

For their break, they had found a quiet camping spot at a haven near a river in the Cleigne region.  Noctis was fishing on a pier near the haven with his cat Felix sunbathing next to him and his best friend animatedly chatting next to him.  Some of the cheerfulness had returned to Prompto’s eyes, and although his friend refused to shave off his facial hair, Noctis couldn’t help but feel content with how things were now.  Over at the haven, Gladiolus was setting up camp like old times, while Ignis was whipping them up something to eat.  He could basically cook up to his old standards now, which gladdened Noctis since he knew how much of a passion Ignis had for cooking.  Noctis was finally free of his destiny, free to make his own decisions, and happy to be able to spend time with his friends in peace.


End file.
